The best 2019 NFL Draft prospect on every College Football Playoff team
By Joel Deering
1. Alabama Crimson Tide
Best 2019 NFL Draft prospect: DL Quinnen Williams
2018 Stats: 58 total tackles, 16 tackles for loss and seven sacks
Analysis: Raekwon Davis, Jonah Williams, and Deionte Thompson. These are just a few Alabama players who will likely be making the jump to the NFL after this season. With so many high quality players from Alabama entering the draft, it’s tough to decide which player is the best NFL prospect.
Among all the Alabama players who could potentially enter the draft after this season, DL Quinnen Williams sticks out as the best 2019 NFL Draft prospect. The number one ranked College Football Playoff team may not be the same without him. Despite this season being his first as a starter for the Crimson Tide, Williams has made is presence and impact felt by just about everyone he’s gone up against.
Quinnen Williams leads all Alabama defenders in solo tackles this season. He also ranks third on the team in total tackles. You’d think a linebacker would easily be leading the team in tackles, but this is not the case with Williams and Alabama.
What may be most impressive about Williams, isn’t the fact that he leads the team in solo tackles, but that he also leads the team in tackles for loss. Williams has 18.0 tackles for loss this season. The next best defender for Alabama (Isaiah Buggs) has 12.5.
To make Quinnen Williams look even more impressive, I’ll point out that he’s second on the team in sacks, having eight this season. Williams is the type of explosive player a team wants along their defensive line. Not only has he proven he can defend well against the run, but he’s proven he can rush the passer about as well as anyone.
I know a lot of teams get scared by the one year wonder label, but Quinnen Williams is the real deal. Despite only being a one year starter for Alabama, I don’t think teams picking at the top of the draft can shy away from what he’s done this season. I’ve seen Quinnen Williams projected to go as high as number two overall in the 2019 NFL Draft.
If you haven’t kept a close eye on Williams throughout the season, make sure to watch him during Alabama’s next game against Oklahoma. He may just have Kyler Murray running for his life. Williams is the best 2019 NFL Draft prospect on the number one ranked College Football Playoff team.